Evenepoel puts Il Lombardia disappoinntment behind as a special guest to Serie A football match
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Remco Evenepoel did not have a perfect edition of Il Lombardia. The 2026 race saw the Belgian once again struggle to perform to his very best level, and only managed to cling onto a 4th position in a group sprint behind the podium finishers. Afterwards, the European champion did not immediately head home, nor off to holidays. Instead, he extended his stay in Como.
The Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe rider, accompanied by his wife Oumi, attended a match featuring the local football club, Como 1907. Brandon McNulty, the newly crowned road race world champion and 5th at the last Monument of the season, was also present; the American attended the game with his wife, Summer.
The two cyclists, as part of celebrations of Lombardia's 120th edition in Como, received special welcome. Before kick-off of a Serie A match against AS Roma, Evenepoel and McNulty were each presented with a Como 1907 jersey.
However Evenepoel was not caught off-guard, and repaid the honors with a gift of his own: he presented the club's president with a rainbow jersey as a memento of his world time trial title.
A welcome change of pace for Evenepoel
For both cyclists, the chance to enjoy a sporting event from the spectator's seat was a welcome change of pace after what has been a rather eventful year.
Even though not everything worked out to Evenepoel's plan, he still enjoyed great success this season. The 26-year-old won Amstel Gold Race, Clasica San Sebastian, Grand Prix de Québec, became time trial world champion, and completed his collection of Championship titles with a European road title just week prior to Il Lombardia. The Belgian also finished second overall at the Tour de France.
Il Lombardia itself pointed out to the irregular nature of Evenepoel's performances towards the end of the year. Just like during the road race in Montréal, he lacked something to step up in Tadej Pogacar's absence and finally win after his two second places in 2024 and 2025.
McNulty on cloud nine
McNulty enjoys completely different sensations. The American rider grabbed an unlikely world title with a daring move which, after a 30-kilometer solo, was rewarded with a rainbow jersey and eternal glory for the UAE Team Emirates - XRG rider.
And although McNulty is yet to honor the rainbow with a victory in the special kit, his 2nd place at Coppa Agostoni and most recently 5th at Il Lombardia are very respectable too.
Brandon McNulty ahead of Il Lombardia 2026
Great spectacle, but without goals
After the honours were off the table, both riders seated themselves in the stands of the Stadio Giuseppe Sinigaglia with their partners.
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The home team - competing in UEFA Champions League for the first time in its history this year - failed to convert any of their chances into a goal. AS Roma also couldn't find a breakthrough, resulting in a 0-0 draw. With this result, Como 1907 remains in the upper echelons of the league, sitting in sixth place in the standings at the time.
Ondrej ZhasilCycling Journalist
Ondřej Zhasil is a cycling journalist at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2023. He is based in Ostrava, the third-largest city in the Czech Republic, and covers professional cycling across the main UCI competitions, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España. A key focus of his work is startlist analysis and pre-race coverage, where he examines team selections, rider line-ups, and tactical scenarios ahead of major events.
Alongside WorldTour coverage, Ondřej has developed specific expertise in junior cycling and in racing across East Asia, including competitions in China and Japan. He also maintains a broad working knowledge of other disciplines and levels, including cyclocross, while continuing to expand his understanding of mountain bike racing.
Ondřej holds a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and Physics, which supports his analytical, data-driven approach to performance and race analysis. In his reporting, he regularly uses ProCyclingStats for results, statistics, and historical context. He places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available.
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Rafionain-Glas11-10-2026 - Can we get a comment from the UCI on this. The silence from Aigle is deafening! Come on cycling journalists , start annoying them to get a comment please.Paul53111-10-2026
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